Trevor's Travels

The Hamlin College of Midwives, Addis Ababa

No Comments »18th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Holidays, Trip report

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

During our short stay in Ethiopia last December we visited the inspiring Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. You can read about our visit here. This wonderful work not only provides life-changing operations for women suffering terribly with obstetric fistula, the hospital also provides a comprehensive training programme for midwives. These nurses then work with women in rural areas where the problems occur due to lack of medical help during child birth. In many cases the women being trained are former patients of the hospital.

My wife and I were most impressed with the amazing humanitarian work being undertaken here. We have supported it in the past and will continue to do so. I challenge my readers to do likewise: click here for more information.

Entrance to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital part 3

1 Comment »17th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Holidays, Parks and Gardens

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

I have to admit that Addis Ababa is not the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. In fact, many parts are quite dirty with much rubbish lying around in streets and on construction sites, poorly maintained roads, less than beautiful buildings and plenty of pollution in the air and waterways. I sensed during my visit there last December that attempts are being made to clean up the environment and general facilities but the sheer mass of people they are dealing with makes this a mammoth task.

It was therefore a very pleasant surprise to visit some private homes to see what could be achieved. Even more delightful was our visit to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital (click here to read what I wrote last week about our visit). The buildings in this wonderful hospital are extremely well maintained, clean and inviting to the traumatised patients. The grounds and gardens are a haven providing a serene environment for the women recovering from obstetric fistula, one of the most distressing medical conditions I have ever read about.

Here is my challenge: you can help these women to recover by donating to the work. Click here for more details.

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital part 2

No Comments »16th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Parks and Gardens, Trip report

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Last week I wrote about our visit to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.

Today I present a few more photos taken around the gardens and buildings of this wonderful hospital, a place changing the lives of so many local women in an amazing way. To read more, click here.

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital

4 Comments »7th February, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Holidays, Parks and Gardens

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

One of the places my wife and I wanted to visit while in Ethiopia last December was the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, established many years ago by an Australian doctor, Catherine Hamlin and her husband. We had heard about this wonderful hospital some years ago and had financially supported its work.

Last year, just when we were planning our trip to Ethiopia, an hour long documentary on the work was shown on Australian television, further fostering a growing passion to support this hospital. In December we planned to visit our daughter who was teaching at Bingham Academy, an international school about 20 minutes by taxi from the hospital.

We asked her if she could contact the hospital to enquire if we could visit. She went one better and arranged an appointment for us. It so happened that the son of the CEO of the hospital was a student in her class. We later met the CEO and his family at a church service and found them to be lovely people.

Over the coming days I plan to show more photos of the garden of this wonderful hospital. I was not permitted to take any photos of the patients which is completely understandable. The grounds, however, were amazing; so peaceful and therapeutic for the patients.

I challenge my readers to find out more about the work of this hospital in treating women suffering from obstetric fistula. In fact, I challenge you to financially support this amazing work. Click here to go to their website for more information.

Garden of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia

Street scenes in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

No Comments »29th January, 2012; Category: Africa, Ethiopia, Exotic Destinations, Shopping

Street vendor, Addis Ababa

By way of contrast with the photos I posted yesterday, today I have shown some scenes of the shops and buildings of some of the ordinary people living in the bustling city of Addis Ababa. There are thousands of street vendors like the one shown above, selling everything from fruit and vegetables to clothing to shoes to whatever you want.

Shops in suburban Addis Ababa

Many of the shops are tiny – perhaps only a few square metres in the front room of a house. Bakeries, butcher shops, furniture shops, car repair garages, cafes, clothing shops, sheep and goats for sale, shoe shops – the list could go on and on. In any one street you can find thousands of different items for sale. It’s all very colourful and diverse with pedestrians moving along the street – or on the road – all the time.

One interesting thing we observed in moving through the streets and looking into shops; they are generally very clean. The street may be rough with potholes, drains, animal excrement and the like, but most shopkeepers take a pride in their shops and the wares they are selling. Even in the poorest areas they attempt to give good service and a good product.

Shops in suburban Addis Ababa